Writing or saying the date in Spanish can be confusing if you are used to English, because the day comes first, followed by the month. However, unlike the English language, there is only one way to express the date in Spanish. Start with el, then use the number that corresponds to the day, followed by the name of the month.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Say the Date
Step 1. Use the expression "El numéro de mes"
When asked for the date in Spanish, you must always follow the same formula. Start with el, followed by the number that corresponds to the day, then continue with de, followed by the name of the month.
You can start by saying hoy es (oi es) before the date, which means "today is". For example, if someone asks you for the date, you can answer: "Hoy es el dos de febrero", that is, "Today is February 2nd". In most cases, it will be enough to say the date
Step 2. Start with the day number
Just like in Italian, a cardinal number is also used in Spanish to express the day of the month. Consequently, to say the date in this language, you will need to know all the numbers from 1 to 31.
- There is an exception to this rule. When you talk about the first day of the month in Spanish, you have to use the word primero, which means "first".
- If you are not yet familiar with numbers, practice counting in Spanish. You can also post house cards with the numbers and the Spanish word that represents them, so you can learn the correct associations.
Step 3. Say the months correctly
After saying the day, you need to add the word de and the month of the year. If you don't already know the months in Spanish by heart, buy a calendar in this language so you can see them regularly.
- January is enero;
- February is February;
- March is March (Mar-So);
- April is April;
- May is mayo (mai-o);
- June is junio (hu-ni-o);
- July is julio (hu-li-o);
- August is August;
- September is september;
- October is October;
- November is November.
- December is December (di-si-em-bre).
Step 4. Express the year correctly
In most cases, you won't need to add the year to the date during a normal conversation. If, on the other hand, you happen to have to do it, just add another de after the month, followed by the number that corresponds to the year.
Just like in Italian, in Spanish the whole number is used to express the year. For example, to say 1991, you should use the expression: "mil novecientos noventa y uno", that is, "one thousand nine hundred and ninety-one"
Method 2 of 3: Write the Date
Step 1. Use the same formula "El numéro de mes" when you type too
Just like in the spoken language, also in written Spanish you have to compose the date starting with the number corresponding to the day, then the month, and finally the year. Start with "el" for "the", then separate the other parts of the date with the word "de".
As in the spoken language, there is an exception for the first day of the month. To write it, use the number 1, with a superscript o that looks like the degree symbol: 1º. This symbol means "the first" in Spanish. For example, you can write "Hoy es el 1º de febrero", which means "Today is February 1st."
Step 2. Start with the day
With the exception of the first day of the month, the day is usually written with a cardinal number (and not as in English, with an ordinal number such as "second" or "third").
You can use the number symbol ("2") or write it in full ("dos")
Step 3. Write the name of the month
After the day number, add the word de, then the month. As in Italian, a capital letter is not needed for the months.
For example, to write 'April 2nd' in Spanish, use "el 2 de abril"
Step 4. If necessary, add the year
As in Italian, for dates the year should not be written in letters but in numbers. Add it after the month name, without commas.
As in the spoken language, add the word de between the month and the year. For example, write "el 2 de abril de 2018" for 'April 2nd 2018'
Step 5. Shorten the date using only numbers
As in Italian, there is a shortened form of the date that uses only numbers. It adopts the same structure as the extended form, with day, month and year.
- For example, if you want to write in abbreviated form "March 28, 2018", you can use "03-28-2018", ie "03-28-2018".
- You can separate numbers with periods, dashes or bars. In the various regions, the use of one form is more common than the others, but all Spanish speakers will recognize the date whatever form you decide to use.
Method 3 of 3: Talk about Time
Step 1. Ask what today's date is
If you want to know the date, use the phrase: "¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy?" (cu-al es la fe-cia de oi). This question means "What is today's date?". There are other ways to ask for the same information, but this is the most common.
Step 2. Learn the days of the week
They can be as important as the specific date, especially if you need to plan a future event. If you learn to say the date in Spanish, it is a good idea to know the days of the week as well, so you can respond if necessary.
- Sunday is Sunday;
- Monday is Monday;
- Tuesday is Tuesday;
- Wednesday is miércoles;
- Thursday is jueves (hu-e-bes);
- Friday is viernes (bi-er-nes);
- Saturday is Saturday.
Step 3. Use el when talking about days or dates
In Spanish, the definite article el (meaning "the") is always used before a date or the name of a day of the week. You may hear the plural form los used, but remember that the word el, when used for a date or day of the week, can be considered singular or plural.
For example, if someone asks you in Spanish what your favorite day of the week is, you can answer "el viernes" or "los viernes". These answers can be translated as "Friday" or "Friday"
Step 4. Ask what day it is
If you want to know what the day of the week is, you will usually have to ask "¿Qué día es hoy?" (ke DI-a es oi). However, be careful with this question, because in some cases it is interpreted as a request for the date.
You can also omit hoy at the end of the sentence and simply ask "¿Qué día es?"
Step 5. Use the verb hacer (HA-ser) in common tense expressions
The verb hacer means "to do" or "to accomplish" in Spanish, but when accompanied by "que", it can be used for expressions of time. One of the main uses of this verb in Spanish is to talk about actions that took place in the past.
- Hacer + past tense + que (ke) + verb conjugated to the past is a formula that allows you to express an action that took place at a precise moment in the past. For example, you can say "Hace tres años que empecé a trabajar aquí" to mean "I started working here three years ago".
- To talk about a past action that continues in the present, use hacer with the present tense of the verb. For example, you can say "Hace tres años que trabajo aquí" to mean "I've been working here for three years".
Step 6. Include the word desde for "since then"
If you want to say that something happens starting from a particular day or date, put the word desde before the date or time, as you would in Italian with "from".
For example "La conozco desde junio" means "I have known you since June"
Step 7. Learn other words that are used to refer to time
In common usage, the date is not often referred to to talk about something that is about to happen. Your Spanish will seem more natural if you use relative time expressions, such as "tomorrow" or "yesterday".
- Today it is hoy (oi);
- Yesterday is ayer (AI-er);
- Tomorrow is mañana (man-IAN-a);
- The day before yesterday is anteayer (ant-AI-er) or "antes de ayer".
